Ah it’s that time of year when I get to write lists and map out my plans of paper and fury for the coming year.
I truly love these types of posts. Although I already confess I’m planning to write a Quiet™ list for this year. Hence the plan to nest in my wizard cloak atop my bookshelf and devour words and magical worlds like the book boggart I am truly deep inside.
But before I trundle into my goals for 2019 ➸ how about a quick recap of how I did with last year’s plots and plans?!
➸ READ 200 BOOKS. ✓
I did! I read 207…which is a lot, although I always secretly dream of going to 250. ALAS, POOR ONION, I did not.
➸ DO EDITS ON MY 2019 NOVEL.✓
I mean this was a GIVEN…but I also got to announce The Boy Who Steals Houses (coming April 4th ahhhhhh). I have now reread it 93894 times am getting to the stage where if someone finds a typo I’m just going to scream for 76 years. But I am also SO PROUD and I put half my soul into this book. It is my horcrux. Nothing to worry about.
➸ WRITE 4 NEW NOVELS & REWRITE 2 NOVELS. ✓
I did…but barely. In 2017 I wrote 7 books…and in 2018? Writing was so so hard. I’ve never had a WORSE writing year, I swear. I rewrote one novel AT LEAST 6 TIMES (I mean full heckin’ rewrites), rewrote A Secret Project, and of course edited Houses.
My 4 new novels included: (1) a sequel I shouldn’t have written lmao, (2) new contemporary project, (3) a Stranger Things x Jumunji retelling, and (4) a contemporary that ended up with way way too much murder to be considered contemporary. WOULD U CHILL OUT, CAIT.
➸ WRITE A BOOK SLOWLY (AKA NOT IN 3 DAYS). ✓
This was because of burn out and the insane pressure I’d started putting on myself to write fast. Anyway I listened to myself! All my new novels took at least a week. (SHHH It’s slow compared to 3 days!! Stop throwing potatoes at me.)
➸ WRITE SOMETHING THAT SCARES ME. ✗
Yeah no I don’t think I can claim this one, oops.
➸ READ BACKLIST TITLES. ✓
Shoutout to past-Cait for being so vague with this. So I read SOME therefore I can claim it! Nevermind that it was not many!
➸ REREAD 30 BOOKS. ✓ I DID. I actually forgot I challenged myself to this lmao. But I reread at least 32 books and it was good. So comforting. I plan to keep this up.
➸ DON’T STRESS ABOUT A THOUSAND PERFECT NOTE’S RELEASE IN JUNE. ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗
Ha haha HAHA Hahha hahahahahah. I stressed. I stressed so bad.
➸ INCREASE MY RUNNING ROUTE TO 6 OR 7KMS. ✗
I did it once so I don’t think that counts.
➸ REVIVE MY ETSY STORE. ✗
Did I even try?? Ah…no. But etsy raised all their taxes on me so wow!! Thanks etsy!! Real champ!!!
➸ REACH 20K ON TWITTER & 45K ON INSTAGRAM. ✓
Omg I actually thought this was a silly reach…but do you know what?! I passed 30K ON TWITTER and I’m at 49.3K on INSTAGRAM. YEAH I’M AS SHOCKED AS YOU.
➸ NOT BREAK EVERYTHING I TOUCH. ✗
Nope. I broke my headphones, my laptop at least 3 times. Broke my shoes. I broke several books. I literally broke a chair at my sister’s house. I broke stuff in the kitchen. I broke mY miND. I broke springs two seconds ago. Sometimes I’m concerned I broke my dog because he refuses to touch wet grass and is basically a cat.
➸ MAYBE PLAY PIANO AGAIN. ✗
Again, doing something, like…twice…doesn’t count. In my defence, I am not brilliant at the piano and how do you EVEN COPE with doing something and not being perfect at it??? [perfectionist swan dive here]
➸ WEAR MY NEW CLOAK. ✗
No. Why? IT’S NEVER COLD IN THE TROPICS. DARN YOU, EQUATOR. I love the cold. I suffer.
7 / 14 achieved for last year…
oh…dear. This is what I scored in 2017 too so I GUESS I’m destined to be a halfling. Hobbiton here I come.
I also had a lot of unanticipated successes this year, including: taking several solo-plane flights (!!!) which is HUGE and terrifying, and seeing A Thousand Perfect Notes in the Illumicrate box (!!!) and fitting more bookshelves into a room THAT CANNOT FIT MORE SHELVES (wizardry !!!) and collecting Stiefvater character cards (!!!) and having gobs and gobs of people say they loved my book.
aFJDSALD I CAN’T EVEN.
➸ read 200 books again!
I am nothing if not super cute and also predictable.
➸ reread 30 books again…specifically all the Stiefvater and Cassandra Clare!
Which is, um, a LOT. But I miss the old TMI crew and I want to do annual Stiefvater rereads so. I flail! This will be great!
➸ write something that makes me immensely pleased.
I’ve been so so anxious about writing for a while now. (I know! I know! I’m not special and this is something a lot of debut authors go through.) But I want to push through this and write some more “just for me” projects, because they keep me happy and sane. And focusing JUST on the business part of publishing is hurling me 1000 leagues under the sea. It is damp down here. I need out.
I also want to brainstorm new ideas (I have had a drought forever) and maybe write some shorts for my published novels. And just!! enjoy writing!!
➸ clear out ALL my overdue eARCs
You hear that, kindle?! yOUR DEPTHS WILL BE KNOWN. (This is, um, terrifying and not attainable save me.)
➸ fix my blog and get BACK into blogging
I have been an unwatered cacti for over half this year. AGH. I don’t blog-hop like I used to, and I definitely post less. This is half on account of my blog not emailing people anymore…but hopefully I’ll look pathetic enough and a miracle will happen and it’ll be fixed? But I want to be involved in the blogging community again!! YOU’RE ALL SO AWESOME.
➸ do more designs on Society6!
I did a grand total of 2 this year and that is abominable.
➸ pass 60,000 on instagram
if the algorithm doesn’t eat mY BONES first
➸ sell another book
ahhhh not something I can control afjdkslad but I’m putting it on there too so we can HOPE that The Boy Who Steals Houses isn’t the last you see of my pretty face. (Not that you see my face. But shh, don’t get caught up on details.)
➸ survive the release of The Boy Who Steals Houses (without running to the misty moors, befriending ghosts, and screaming companionably in haunted houses)
LOOK. I made this very specific so there’s a much better chance I can tick it off.
➸ take a nap
haha unrealistic goals here I see
nothing too wild this year…I am seriously here for a Quiet year. One where my mental health gets better and I enjoy what I do and I find a library to attack and eat every single shelf. The little, soft things, you know??
I think you did SO great with your 2018 goals, Cait and I am still so very proud and happy and thrilled about your book’ publication and can’t wait for your sophomore novel to hit shelves and to buy it and love it. You’re doing amazing. I admire that you can read SO many books per year and write so much just as well, that’s honestly goals. And so much re-reading, that is such a great goal! I tend to be a little afraid to re-read, because what if I don’t enjoy it as much, but…. there are so many books I want to re-read, too? Ahhh, the struggle haha.
I’ll be looking forward to your Society6 designs, I love them all so much, if only I had tons of money to get them all hahaha 🙂
Happy new year Cait! I hope it will be a fabulous one, wishing you all the best <3
Aww thankyou, Marie! You are so kiiiind. And omg it was a wild year with my book coming out, and like I don’t feel ready for book 2 yet. 😂 But hopefully it’ll live up to everyone’s expectations?! Also I DO get that with rereading…but luckily it tends to work out for me, and I still love the books the second time.😂
Congrats on your goals! I plan to read 57 books this year (but I really want to read more than that) and among those I want to read more Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Mystery Thriller? Especially Mystery/Thriller! I also want to finish the first drafts of two novels I’m writing and maybe start a more serious novel idea.
And I want to improve my Spanish and Korean language skills! I want to be intermediate in both? Or at least Spanish. Which involves tons and tons of notes but I can do it!
Ahh good luck with your epic goals too! (I always like to hope I can exceed my reading goals too😂) and thrillers can be so great, I hope you find many amazing ones! Also good luck with learning more languages!
I want to get this first draft finished by July so I can have started polishing it up by, say, September? IDK. It’s not an unrealistic timeline – I wrote one in four months before. (I envy your week.) I’m also reading 75 books again and I finished my first one yesterday! (I read half of it in 2018, but SHH!!) I’m trying to blog-hop more too. Let’s be honest, I’ve never been great at it. 😅
I hate the cold. I also hate the heat, when it reaches a certain level. This is pretty much the only British stereotype I embody.
Happy New Year, Cait!
I actually had my first read of the year be like 100 pages I had left of a book I was reading in 2018 so…you’re not alone.😂This is just SMART of us. And eep good luck with the polishing! I find that part can be hard, but so so satisfying.
I probably would die in your true winter there.😂
AT LEAST YOU ACHIEVED SOME GOALS OKAY. This is good! I achieved like 4…out of like 20 or something. AND AGH 2019 means ALL the new releases i’m SO excited for some of these books to come out…like I’ve been waiting FOREVER. and yes i still don’t get your posts in my email but i maybe should re-subscribe I dont know what’s happening. and fixing my blog and getting back into blogging IS MY GOAL TOO LET’S DO THIS CAIT!! take care of yourself in 2019 and have a wonderful year, you deserve it so much <3i
It was clearly not the year for achieving ALL THE THINGS for either of us 😂And ajfkdlsad I don’t know what to suggest about the email subscription except my blog sucks and I want to smack it with a hammer. Like I didn’t even DO anything to make it break?! But anyhow I hope we both have fun blogging this year!!
You did so much last year!!!!! I try to think of goals more like… guidelines (/Barbossa voice) to help you do what you want to be doing, and in THAT regard you did AMAZINGLY. <333
and ha ha ha ha ha ha ha earcs ha ha ha oh god why am I so bad at them why. I swear my kindle is judging me. "It's not you, it's me!!" I wail at it, but it doesn't listen.
Moog Florin | https://moogflorin.com/2018/12/18/top-ten-tuesday-priority-tbr-books-for-2019/
YAS GUIDELINES REFERENCE *flails* 😂and tbh it’s true. Like it’s also hard to make goals not knowing EXACTLY what you’ll do in a year anyway. (Also why are eARCs so shifty?! Like they just…appear. I swear.)
This is great, Cait! You’ve had a big year (though I guess we all have). I have loooots of goals (and many more hopes and dreams and vague ideas of how I will somehow be a better person this year). But I want to run longer routes and do a half marathon and write a short story (like edit it and everything) and edit a novel (and maybe start another one, idk, uni is tough). I want to read an average of three books a week but have aimed my goodreads goal lower just in case. I love the possibilities of New Years!
Yes! I totally imagine this year’s been intense and wild for you too, with so many changes and beginnings! I hope you have a ton of luck and goodness for 2019 too 😉
I also definitely need a nap. Possibly more than one. Like, one per week? Or possibly every two days. Hmmmm… *wonders if work will install nap pods in the new building… must talk to Property team*
Honestly…that would be nice. Imagine, like, sleeping consistently?? WILDNESS.
i am planning to read 65 books this year, but i am not sure if that’s actually going to happen because the first half of my year is just exams. just school finals, board finals, entrance exams, and just exams. and the second half of it is moving to a whole new country (i am just being extra and dramatic, because i am just moving to my native land like all non-resident Indians do at some point) and joining college which is slightly (read: ABSOLUTELY) terrifying.
Eeeek, exams sound really stressful. GOOD LUCK. I WILL CHEER YOU ON. I hope the move goes well too, because that also sounds really intense. Big life changes can be exhausting *sends cake* I hope it goes well and you’re happy!
I need to start a bullet journal, because I’m incompetent at remembering literally anything ahaha. Also, I finally set a goodreads goal for 150 books! Yay! Also, because I’m an overachiever, I plan to finish the outline + first draft of this story I call “the six year old murderer” because I can’t think of a better name, and I also want to finish the first draft of my first book, which is almost done. Happy fun times. ALSO I NEED TO BLOG MORE
*tbr laughs in the corner* YOU SHALL NEVER CONQUER ME
Ah haha I RELATE. I tried to start a bullet journal but then also realised I didn’t do enough interesting things to put in it.😂 Also overachievers UNITE. We are all exhausted but doing all the things.😂 And omg to your code-story title…I am instantly intrigued 0_0
I have full confidence that you will accomplish all of your 2019 goals!! And I’m glad to see that they’re quiet goals – it’s good to take a break and refresh and replenish yourself!! I hope that your mental health will improve in 2019 *sends all the good wishes* 🤗🤗🎉🎉🎉
I’m hoping to read 200 books this year, but we’ll see how life goes – with college coming up I don’t want to be forcing myself to read more than I can handle 😄 I do intend to attack my TBR….. whether or not I’ll conquer it is doubtful 😂😂😂😂
Thanks for sharing your goals, Cait, and have a fabulous new year!!
Aw thank you, Kailey! I really hope 2019 is a good year for me too! I am kind of run down lmao 😂but yesss…lots of refilling the creative well and hopefully being a bit more chill and just enjoying things. And AH good luck with college!! I can imagine it’ll be very intense to begin with while you get settled in. I hope you still get some down time and books read. 😉
You may have only gotten half of your goals for 2018 but those were pretty steep goals! At least to me. So, I think that you did freaking fantastic. I cannot wait to see what this year brings for you ♥
Aww thank you! And they were a bit intense at times haha 😂 and unattainable tbh *looks at the ‘don’t break things’ one* 😂 I hope this year brings marvellous things for you too!
Good luck with your goals! It sounds like you had a very busy 2018. I wish I could read 200 books a year. I read 100 last year, but I set my goal at 50 this year because I need to get a second job. I think my goals are pretty quiet. I need to go outside more often and maybe relearn Spanish.
Thanks, Aj!! And it felt like a really wild AND slow year all at once?! Time is so weird.😂 Oh and good luck with the Spanish!! And I hope you get a job that you like too!
Nice job, Cait! I still cannot believe you read 200 books… what do you do all day?? XD
2018 was a great year for me goal- and life-wise. I’m really excited for 2019! I may have been a little ambitious with my goals but I’M A SLYTHERIN so what can I expect??
Charis Rae | http://charisrae.com/my-goals-for-2019-how-i-did-in-2018/
Ahh I’m glad you achieved a lot last year, Charis! I hope 2019 treats you well too!
I want a quiet year. I’ve stopped taking new review requests and stopped myself from signing up for book challenges and yoga challenges. I am not planning like I do and failing. I have three goals, to finish the first draft of my novel which I started ages ago and need to read over now :/ read books I keep meaning to read (A thousand perfect notes!!) And cook new recipes. I want to do more with my blog but trying to do so much has failed me in the past so I’m just hoping to meet my goals and hope everything else falls into place (yoga, mindfulness etc etc). Best of luck with your writing. One books takes me ages to write. I think I’ll plan the next one. My current one is a mess.
Still not getting emails when you post weird. Had time to visit blogs today 😀
Aww I love your goals, Jen, and totally hope they work for you!! Also just taking time to be quieter is really good write?! We can be in this together.💛 And yess for new recipes and yogo and mindfulness. I was meditating for a bit but (lol lol) I got bored. I’d like to get back into it. And to write more! I hope both our writing treats us nicely this year!
(And I hope I can fix my blog arghgh that would be helpful.)
I’m not getting notifications or anything. But I’ll make me actually come on here so it’s ok. I started reading over my novel. It’s not terrible but I didn’t plan so it’s a mess 🙁 im sticking with it
Cait, you achieved so much in 2018! SO PROUD OF YOU. <3 I hope you have an amazing 2019!
I also want to read a lot of my overdue arcs this year. There are many. Send help. And chocolate.
THANK YOOOOU!! You are so kind and encouraging! Also I am WITH YOU on trying to read all the overdue arcs ah ahha…*Gulps* We’ve got this.😭😂
My main goal for 2019 is to not die. And also to release at least three books and be featured in at least one anthology. And also have books written to release next year. Oh, and hold Indie e-Con and lead the Golden Braids release. Possibly #unrelalistic, but eh.
Reading, I’m going for 50 books this year but (shush) am secretly hoping for 75. I’m also planning to try to read longer books this year. Because last year it was mostly popcorn.
And my TBR shall never be conquered. It and I have come to an Agreement.
Hey I wildly approve of your top goal there *nods* SAME TOO. and hey, we can aim high for goals too! I hope you get to have fun with the indie con! And I always secretly aim to overachieve my goals too so you’re not alone.😂
I’m a slower reader and a slower writer, so we’re basically opposites lol! My goals for 2019 include finishing macro-editing my current novel-in-progress, reading 70 books, and first-drafting a sequel and maybe one other book??? I’m in high school, so even those few goals scare me. 😂😂 April and July Camp NaNo are really helpful for me in getting a good amount of writing done, though!
I hope you have a restful but also productive year! This was an awesome post.
(Oh, and I get the emails of your blog posts, so it’s at least working for me…?)
Those are EXCELLENT GOALS! And really intense and epic while you’re still in highschool too…seriously you put highschooler-me to shame lmao.😂I barely got anything done. But I do love the NaNo camps too *flails* I hope to join in both this year again.
Wait waaait you get the emails?! I’M SO CONFUSED NOW. 😭😂But thanks for letting me know!!
I hope you have a nice, soft year where you enjoy all the things *squishes*
So! My goals! For 2019! *quietly freaks out in background*
I wanna:
– Finish the rewrite of my WW2 novel, “Gold” (I’m sooooooooooo close ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh)
– Send it out to beta readers and START (if not finish) the first round of major edits
– Resume serious work on the first draft of my Western fantasy series (this one TERRIFIES ME OKAY because how do I write gunfights. help.)
– Read . . . say . . . 50 books? (I read 42 last year so that seems manageable)
– Go to the 2019 Realm Makers’ fantasy writers conference and MEET ONLINE WRITING FRIENDS THAT I’VE NEVER MET IN PERSON EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEk
Aww thank yoooou!! So so nice to me ajfdkslad *sends you cake too*
YES FOR ALL THE REWRITER GOALS!! I will cheer you on! And getting betas is great, I hope you have fun with that stage. 50 books is also a fab goal *nods* The trouble with we writers is finding time to read AND write.😂
THANKS, I’LL TRY TO HAVE FUN
*grins*
dang girl, your 2019 is full of lofty goals. I WISH YOU ALL THE LUCK IN THE WORLD.
THANK YOU KIND SOUL💛💛 I mean the nap one is a bit ridiculous, bUT I’LL TRY.
When I think about 2019 goals I think I can do it but then I remember last year and cringe. I have a reading goal of 70 books which should be achievable since I read 83 last year, I want to write two drafts and edit one (preferably my NaNo one from November but I don’t decide that the voices in my head do). I also want to focus less on every release and more on the ones I really really want and maybe reread all the Riordan Camp Half-Blood books as a summer project (I swear I’m sane). I also want to read more Brandon Sanderson (who I’ve only read one book from but I loved it) and V.E. Schwab.
And the voices in our heads change their minds all the time, darn them. 😂I’m supposed to be editing something…but I’m thinking about something else WHOOPS. And eep I hope you get to your 70! I think that’s a great number (and it’s fun to overachieve a bit too sometimes haha). I want to reread all of the Heroes of Olympus books tbh, so I’m with you there.
I always plan to reread book, but then I get distracted by all the shiny new releases, so I’m actually terrible at this. xD But I LOVE doing it! I don’t even make sense to myself. I need to remember to pick my favorites off the shelf whenever I need to destress.
Sometimes your intentional goals don’t end up being completed because you get to do a lot of other really cool stuff! At least, that’s how I try to look at it to make myself feel better, lolll.
I know nothing about technology or blogging platforms (even though I really should), but would it be possible to move your blog to another platform without losing any old posts? That might fix the e-mail issue. Blogger isn’t super professional, but that’s what I use myself and I’ve had minimal issues with it.
Happy new year!!
I’m finding rereading so so comforting haha. I just like knowing I’m in for a solidly GOOD read, you know!? But legit, I am so behind on my TBR. 😂 Catching up will be a miracle lmao. And also definitely agreed that sometimes original goals get pushed aside while unexpected things happen. Which can still be good!!
I used to be on blogger, but yeah I have NO idea how to change back. 😭i can’t bear the thought of starting from scratch again unfortunately.
Even if you are predictable, you’re still super cute! Congrats on finishing so many of your goals 💖 I absolutely loved A Thousand Perfect Notes, and I can’t wait to see more of what you accomplish. You’re doing amazing! 😊Sending you all my best thoughts for finishing up your WIPs, reviving blogging, reading all the books, and, of course, taking your nap~
WHY THANK YOU, TIFFANY. 😌*twirls* and omg thank you so so much for reading ATPN. It means the world to me honestly!!
Goals for 2019 is read 100 books. I normally can top this, but it’s also nice not feeling like I have to rush reading. I would also like to read, specifically, The Lord of the Rings. We’ll see how that goes.
For writing, it would be nice if I could… finish… one book this year. I’m not talking about edited and published, but… a first draft would be nice.
I like kind of under-reaching with my goals too so I can overachieve and feel good about myself.😂I hope you get a chance to read LOTR then!! They’re pretty hefty books haha. And YES. Do it!! Write write!!
I’m so thrilled for 2019! I’m hoping to read 120 books this year, write two books, edit one book, plot another and start seriously querying! Okay, it all sounds ridiculously crazy when I type it all out in one sentence!
And for smaller goals – don’t drink any soda, go to the gym, drink lots of coffee and practice French. And smile a lot!
Good luck with your goals!!! And good luck figuring out how to fix the blog subscription thing. So frustrating! But at least naps are in the planner. Because naps are the best.
ahh that is such a good number!! CONGRATS ON ALL THE MARVELLOUS READING. And also you wrote so much afjdksla I’m cheering you on for the next stages towards publishing! You’ll be GREAT.
Naps are really quite fun😂
YAY FOR ACHIEVING 7/14 CAIT! That’s still a huge achievement imo. I’ve got a lot of goals for this year and obviously I’m not gonna achieve them all. I set my goodreads challenge to 50 but I actually want to read a hundred. I just set my goal
low because I don’t want any more disappointments this year HAHAHAHA. I also want to diversify my reading choices and that’s my first priority for this year.
Hey setting a lower goal than what you WANT is actually winning here. 😂 I do it all the time too haha. It’s like you can overachieve without as much effort. SLYTHERIN WIN. Ahem. Also diversifying one’s reading is an excellent goal *flails*
Good luck on your 2019 goals Cait!
Mine are:
– Survive (and enjoy?) the release and book launch (terrifying!) of my debut novel
– Please, please, please let me sell another book!
– Manage my social media and blogging and be consistent! (be consistent goddammit!!!)
– Read 50 books, at least 6 of which will be varied genre (so crime fiction, non-fiction, poetry, romance etc. coz all I read is YA and I want to read more widely to help influence my writing)
– Finish writing the second book in a weird duology I am writing for some reason and will likely never sell because IT IS WEIRD
– Write the second book in a different series I am working.
– Write another book in that same series (highly unlikely I’ll manage this much, but I’m gonna slap it up here anyway as my wishlist!)
Also I want to do fun real life stuff too. Like go to the beach. And be outside.
Mmmmh, I’m sure there is heaps more, but that is a good start! 🙂
Thank you, Poppy!! AND OMG I HAVE YOUR BOOK (I think I forgot to email and say) AND I’M SO EXCITED. YOU’RE GOING TO BE AMAZINGGGG. I hope you sell another book this year too! I really hoped I would, but alas. 😭😂 And I hope your social medias grow amazingly this year. Eeep. But dude, YES. Write all the things! I swear writing is easier before you get published, so get them all in before March. 😉
Don’t worry Cait, you will definitely sell more books! You are an amazing writer and I am positive your manuscripts will sell! Sometimes stuff just happens in a weird way but I reckon the long as we don’t give up we will both manage it! Fingers crossed for 2019 to be the year!
🙂
And yay, that’s so great my book arrived okay! 🙂
Aww, thanks Poppy!! And I hope you have lots of publishing successes this year and more deals on the way for you too!!
(And I’ll get back to you with interview questions sometime later this month. 😉
Hey, but all the goals you “failed” were minor compared to the ones you achieved! You were busy, girl! Give yourself a break and enjoy how much you did!!! And I think it’s so funny one of your goals was to not stress out of ATPN – that book is so gorgeous. I do hope you can start playing piano again, though. Because piano really helps one’s mental mind (at least does for me). But we got rid of our piano and I’m missing it so bad. I was actually missing our piano A LOT when I read ATPN and that book opened that wound deeper. Ouch ;D
I definitely did a lot haha, my overachiever self needs to chill out.😂 But thank you, you’re so so kind ahhh!!! And honestly that’s a big reason I want to start playing again. I’m really sensitive to sound, which is why I stopped, but it’s good sort of music therapy to play, right?! I’m hoping it might be something grounding to do if I can get back into it.
(And writing ATPN made me miss playing too afjdsklad what have I done to us. 😭💛)
“a contemporary that ended up with way way too much murder to be considered contemporary” OH MY GOD, NOTHING HAS EVER INTRIGUED ME MORE THAN THIS WILD AF CONTEMPORARY.
DUDE, I LOVE IT SO MUCH AND HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO MAKE IT LESS MURDERY.😂 help meeeeee
I had to replace my earbuds at least twice in 2018… I do think they just mysteriously break too, it isn’t like I’ve been throwing them around or anything. Good luck with your 2019 goals! (Especially the nap. Please try to sleep at least once in 2019.)
I swear headphones and earphones just don’t like being in this world???? Sheeesh. I’m careful with mine too! and will DEFINITELY fit in that singular nap in 2019. Goals.
Congrats on what you were able to accomplish (or even just survive) in 2018! and best of luck in the new year :). Idk man, my goal for 2019 is just to like….survive, I guess. I’m finally going to college (and I have no idea what that’ll be like), and I just had the worst case of burnout and general awfulness for most of 2018, I’m just kind of hoping I’ll….keep on doing okay, I guess. On a somewhat brighter note, I’d also like to read at least 80 books and maybe finally finish my epic fantasy novel. Fingers crossed, I guess!
Eleanor | On the Other Side of Reality
I relate to this so much ajdsklad I hope we both tackle 2019 and survive and just…keep on top of things too?! Burnout absolutely sucks gah. I’m cheering you and your fantasy novel on though!!
Cait, I’m wishing you all the luck on your 2019 goals and, of course, in the release of The Boy Who Steals Houses!
I am very excited to re-read more books in 2019 too. This last year I re-read the To All the Boys trilogy and it was so heart-warming. I like the idea of re-reading books and am definitely looking forward to re-read Ari & Dante, since I didn’t have the chance to do so in summer of last year and I plan on turning this into a yearly tradition. It’s currently summer here, so what better way to spend these burning afternoons?
I have selected my goals wisely this year, and I think I was able to come up with a very achievable list. I do have a few other that I know I’ll fail, and one of them is to put more effort on promoting and growing my blog. I feel much more comfortable commenting and reading posts, but I know this is not 100% efficient on growing an audience. However, I’m terrible at Twitter and social media. I mean, I’ve always had a Twitter account, but I was so used in talking as no one is listening. I feel like people on the bookish community interact a lot more, though, and I’m constantly terrified of writing something stupid and then getting 5 likes of people that are just wondering what’s wrong with me. I am procrastinating revamping my Twitter account been three weeks now, but I’ll force myself to do it by the end of January. Now interacting with people there… That’s a different story. If you have any tips on how to conquer social media, as you’re Twitter queen, please share with me! I could use some!
Aww, thank you, kind soul!! And omg I loved the To All the Boys series! I finished it this year and my heart is just !!! over how adorable and cosy it is. And I reread Ari & Dante a while ago but I definitely want to again. I also love the audiobook for that one.
And I do understand the overwhelm of social media. But I think the trick is to just not hang back and go for it! This is coming from me who is very shy too 😂So I understand the pain! I think getting involved on twitter is definitely a good way to direct people towards your blog too. All the best with this *flails* My biggest secret (well not really haha) is that I don’t just post about my blog, and I make sure to do lots of fun tweets too.
I originally planned to read 60 books this year but 50 was my 2018 goal and I just barely made it. XD So instead I’m going to do 55 and hope I can surpass it and get to 60 or more by making myself listen to more audiobooks even though a part of me still thinks it’s kind of cheating. XD
And YES! I’m finally going to have time to work on my pirate retelling this year! I want to actually do it “right” this time and hopefully discipline myself to not give up after the first draft and actually go through all the steps to maybe get it published someday. 🙂 I really want to do more research on how traditional publishing works and I want to write multiple revisions of my book and just enjoy every step even if it’s frustrating at times. I want to fall back in love with writing and actually pursue it as a career cuz that’s really what I’ve always wanted and also really I have nothing better to do. XD
Speaking of writing, if I wanted to interview you on my blog for The Boy Who Steals Houses, should I just ask you, or go through your publisher? Would my blog have to have any special requirements?
Nooo audiobooks aren’t cheating at all?! They’re BOOKS. I read tons of audios this year and I’m so pleased.
Also yesss for pirate retellings. I hope it turns into everything you want it to be!! *flails for you*
(And omg of COURSE I would love to be interviewed!! 😘I can’t promise ARCs is the only thing, and they mostly go out to UK or Aussie bloggers. But if you still want to interview me, then yay I’d love that! Just email anytime!)
It’s ok I’m not looking for an Arc cuz I don’t teally read them. 😂But yay! I will email you as soon as I come up with some great questions! 😁
Good luck with the new release for 2019 Cait. I am beginning to wonder if you are a monster with your consistent reading of 200 books. YES ARE YOU? Wishing you lots of cake and books in 2019. Also don’t forget to rest a bit during your writing sprees?
A SLIGHTLY ANXIOUS AND HUNGRY MONSTER THAT IS FOR SURE.😂😂And aww thank you, Resh!! You are so kind!!
Good luck for your goals for this year!! I hope you manage to achieve them all. 💖 I don’t tend to set a lot of goals for the new year, but I do want to finish the first draft of my WIP before Easter at the latest and start editing (yikes), and I want to start a different writing project as well!
Andrea @ https://spaceshipsvampiresandsecretagents.blogspot.com/
Aww thank you! I am all for setting only a few goals this year too lmao (particularly ones I know I’ll do 😂I’m a fabulous cheater). Ahhh good luck for finishing that draft!!
Completing 7/14 goals is great, Cait!! At least it’s not like… 0 lmao. And you totally deserves all your Twitter and Instagram followers!!! I definitely feel you on the “get back into blogging” goal — I’ve definitely been super bad at actually interacting with blogging in 2018 and I really want to fix that for the new year! And I probably don’t have as many eARCs as you, but I just suck at reviewing eARCs and I have a whole bunch to write lmao. Hope you can achieve more than half your goals this time, Cait!! And I’m so excited for your book ☺💕
Exactly!! Positive thinking here 😂 and aww thank you! Here’s to hoping both of us manage to get on top of all the blogging things lol lol sob I don’t even know why I completely dropped my bundle this year. (I also think social media posting is more popular than blogging these days??? idk might be just me thinking that😂)
i’m so freaking proud of you and how you accomplished ur 2018 goals!! nevermind u failed some of them, it’s still AMAZING THAT YOU ACCOMPLISHED HALF OF THEM OK THAT’S PRETTY BIG OK BE PROUD OF YOURSELF!! also i cant believe u broke a chair
AWW THANK YOU!! At least I got some things done lmao. 😂😂 and omg I bROKE a ChaIR. My 5yo niece won’t let me forget it either. “Cait don’t sit there you might break it.” 😑😑😑 Like yes thanks, that’s great for my self esteem.
Completing some of your 2018 goals is still amazing Cait-and you achieved so much! 4 novels and edits & rewrites is amazing. I’ve gone relatively low on my reading goal for the year, I’ve set it at 24, since I have some small things like my final year project which is worth three modules by itself and you know GRADUATING to do this year, so I didn’t want to be too hard on myself, though being the competitive person that I am, I of course, ideally want to read more than I did last year.
In terms of writing, I’m not planning anything huge, I’m continuing with revisions on my WIP in the hope that it will be ready for querying relatively soon (like in the next couple of years) but I don’t want to rush things, especially since I’ll have very little time to write anything that isn’t my final year project from now till April.
As for my other goals, I guess they’re quite quiet? For the most part, I’m wanting to complete reading challenges, write more for The National Student so I become a 5 star writer before I graduate, my usual catch up on 2018 releases and backlist books, a little bit of unhauling in preparation for moving home after graduation, improving my blog with new features and guest posts and trying to read a little more outside of my comfort zone with non-fiction and audiobooks. I’m hoping all of my 2019 goals are relatively achievable!
Ha ha this is definitely not the year I conquer my TBR.
Good luck with all your 2019 goals Cait, I’m sure you’ll smash it!
Aww thanks, Jo! And I can imagine how hard it’d be to fit in a ton of things with lots of graduating on the cards for you. EEP. CONGRATS FOR THAT!! And good luck for revising. Sounds like you’re going to have a full on year, right?!
Okay. You seriously need to write a post on how you wrote FOUR ENTIRE NOVELS IN A YEAR because I cannot even write ONE in a year. Please help me. I need this. XD But also . . . you are like the writing queen?? My hat is off to you, sir.
Also I have no idea how you even manage to read 200 books but like?? THIS IS AMAZING. You are amazing. And your goals for 2019 look amazing, too! Most of my goals include finishing the fourth draft of my current WIP, finishing a book that I started and never finished last year (oops), and writing a completely new book because fun. And I’m pretty sure that this entire year is going to be taken up by just one of those, but we’ll see, I guess. XD
I think I probably just have more time? And lmao don’t worry, they are not GOOD novels.😂One I completely fudged the ending becasue I knew it needed a total rewrite but I didn’t have time right then. Haha. Aww but you are lOVELY. THANK YOU. And I hope you have a great time with your 4th draft (that’s getting towards the nice and tight and polished stage eep!)
I highly doubt that! I’m sure you’re just better at managing your time. XD DUDE. IF THEY ARE ANYTHING LIKE ATPN THEN THEY ARE PERFECTION. Oh goodness, I definitely can relate to that… XD
MEEP. Thank you so much! I hope it’s getting towards the polished stage… aha… 😂
Good luck with all of your goals! 😄
I’m not usually the one for New Year resolutions or goals or anything but I don’t know what came over me this year! I made a bunch of lists and we’ll see how many of them actually happen 😅
I just did a post on my reading goals (which is basically to read as broadly as possible and be more critical in choosing what I want to read!), I also want to be active on my bookish social media throughout the whole year and not take breaks like every few months 😅, and lastly I want to write another first draft in this year and edit my current WIP so maybe somebody can read it and give me feedback?! 😱
Making goals is kind of addictive I find.😂I just want to…MAKE LISTS AND TICK IT ALL OFF. YES. And being more critical and analysing what one reads is a really good goal. I remind myself to do that too because I tend to just read and then forget about it without really thinking.😂 And YES for editing and getting feedback! Those are huge things but so exciting *sends encouraging cake*
Wow, Cait! I know you didn’t accomplish everything you wanted to in 2018 but holy cow, you did a lot! Congrats!! You are amazing and inspiring. I set my Goodreads goal at 12 books this year but my real goal is to just read more than I did for the last 2 years. I’m off to a good start though because I’ve already read 2 books this month!
One of my writing goals is to complete revisions for a book I’ve been working on for 4 years and start querying it. I have put this off for too long and am ridiculous. I have struggled with writing for a few years now and I think at this point, I just need to get back into the habit of doing it. So I’m really trying to prioritize BoOkS again in my life because I’ve prioritized Netflix for… a long time. It’s sad.
Yesss, I’m so glad you’re already reading lots! And aw thank you! I know I sound whingey when I complain about not accomplishing goals but I did a heck ton of other stuff.😂I just like ticking off lists lmao.
And omg GOOD LUCK FOR THE QUERYING TRENCHES!! That’s huge and exciting and I will cheer you on through all the waiting!
I liking ticking stuff off of lists as well! It’s incredibly satisfying so I definitely understand where you’re coming from. Thanks!! I’m nervous but excited!
I don’t have many 2019 goals. I guess I’d like to keep at my own writing for longer than a few weeks (I usually enjoy it too much, worry that I like it more than I should, begin to hate it and myself and then abandon it before moving on to something completely different.) I also wanna read more and branch out with what I read instead of just YA and Stephen King. And keep my own mental health fine and stable and not out to DESTROY me again
Aw self-doubt really really sucks and I totally understand! I’ve had such wild bouts of self doubt this year that it’s been REALLY hard to keep going. But you and I both shall conquer it this year in 2019, right?! *sends you encouraging cake*
Um…how do you break shoes? And don’t worry about your dog as my two divas don’t like getting their feet wet either! You should see me trying to get them to go potty whenever it rains. And it’s been raining a LOT lately! As for my goals, I want to read 100 books for my Goodreads Challenge. I’ve only hit that goal once in 9 years so don’t know how you manage 200+ with everything on your plate. What are your secrets???
Honestly I am just TALENTED with the breaking of everything. (Except it’s a really expensive talent lmao.) And ugh I KNOW with the toilet training these fussy dogs. 😂 My dog would literally hold on for HOURS instead of go, just to avoid getting his feet wet though. (Which is better than peeing in the house, but agh he must be so uncomfortable.)
(I just read fast I think 😂and probably don’t have as much going on as other people, maybe?)
Well done on all your followers!
I’m going to finish my first draft – probably by late March. I’m aiming for late March, but I won’t be surprised if I end up near June – with all the blog posts I’m wanting to draft. But still, progress!
Speaking of breaking things – we went away as a family last year and I broke two glasses at the airbnb – which I still maintain was the glasses’ fault since they were so fragile.
I put my Goodreads challenge at 100 – which it was last year (and which I of course failed), so let’s see and hope that I read more.
I AM SO EXCITED FOR HOUSES I CANNOT
(nevermind the fact that A Thousand Perfect Notes is still sitting on my shelf because I know it’s going to make me cry and I am intimidate)
Good luck with your 2019 goals!! (lol I count my year a success if I get over 1/2 of my goals done and every year is’ 7/14 or 8/15 lolllll)
So annoying about the emails. But I follow you on feedly too so I haven’t missed a post yet. 😉 I feel you on not blog hopping as much. I am just so behind and I have been struggling finding the balance where I fit in replying to comments and blog hopping and still making time to read and blog and just other me time. So I am slow. As this obviously shows haha.
I wish you luck on all your goals Cait <3
I think if you achieved half of your goals you have definitely done a good job. And wow, 200 books is amazing and you should be so happy that you read so much! And all of that writing is brilliant – so much strong progress. I really like your goals as well. I hope you enjoy all the books you read and wow, I totally need to clean out the ebooks on my kindle too and read through those. But like… I doubt I can achieve it too. We can boost each other! I have fallen out of love with book blogging a little bit last year as well, so I hope I can get back to it too. There are great communities here and on bookstagram together ^.^
I am impressed you break so many things but you’re trying and that is what matters!